Erdogan: “There is no state named Cyprus; we will never accept as our interlocutor the Greek Cypriot President

“Turkish daily Star Kibris (20.07.11) covers the visit of Recep Tayip Erdogan, Turkey’s Prime Minister to the occupied area of Cyprus. [Erdogan is accompanied by his wife Emine and daughter Sumeyye Erdogan, the assistant Prime Minister Besir Atalay, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, EU Minister Egemen Bagis and the General Secretary of Turkey’s Presidency Mustafa Isen.]

Erdogan upon his arrival at illegal Tymbou airport addressed the gathered crowd saying that a state named Cyprus does not exist, but there is “the Greek Cypriot administration and the TRNC”.

Erdogan continued his speech saying, inter alia: “We sat and discussed, but they [Greek Cypriots] did not stay loyal to this. We remained. You [Turkish Cypriots] remained loyal, 65% said yes. But the south said 75% no [in the Annan Plan referendum]. There is no such a structure in the EU acquis communautaire. They did not keep their word but you did and we are right”.

He addressed the Turkish Cypriots as brothers which should not forget that they are one, they are united, and they are one heart. He also said that investments and the improvement of infrastructures in “TRNC” will continue and added that construction of double-lane roads in every part of “north Cyprus” will raise the level of transportation. He also referred to Anamur dam which is scheduled to transfer water to Cyprus via an underwater pipe, and said that upon its completion “north Cyprus” will never face water shortages.

Referring to the electricity infrastructure, he said that there are no longer any problems and that the Turkish Cypriots give a “humanitarian lesson” to the Greek Cypriots. He repeated that he as Prime Minister, his fellow Ministers, his Government and his nation love the Turkish Cypriots and that their unity and solidarity are their strength.

Similar were his statements after the meeting he had with the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu. “We will continue with the same determination, hand by hand Motherland daughter-land, in the same path.[…] The marginal groups cannot destroy our union and solidarity, no one should worry. With every passing day, north Cyprus will progress forward. With infrastructures, superstructures, political strength, you should not worry, it [north Cyprus] will take its place in the future”.

Moreover, during the joint press conference after the meeting, Erdogan said: “As the 61st Government of the Republic of Turkey, with our first visit being in TRNC, in any case we manifest what we want to say. From this point on nothing will change in the [negotiation] process. This must thus be known.

And see, they have not yet revealed the report -May 2004- that Annan prepared. This is thought provoking. Why they don’t disclose it? What is the reason? This is also interesting. Despite all this, whether it is Mr Talat or Mr Eroglu they have patiently continued the process.

We wish that in these 19 meetings the expected end will be reached. This is Turkey’s desire as a guarantor country. And we expect the same desire from Greece. We even expect the same from England, being a guarantor country. This we must put forward very clear. No one should expect from us to have the President of the Greek Cypriot administration as our interlocutor. We will never sit on the table having them as our interlocutor.”